Thursday, 21 June 2007

Lead-up to the Concert for Diana

I have been asked to record a series of television segments which shall be aired every evening next week on Canada's CTV Network, in the lead-up to next weekend's "Concert for Diana", the musical extravaganza organised by TRH Princes William and Harry at Wembley Stadium to mark the July 1st birthday of Diana, Princess of Wales, on this the 10th anniversary of her death. Two other commentators have also recorded segments, one is the former Features Editor for British Vogue and correspondent for Fashion File and the other is a "Celebrity Lifestylist".

Each segment deals with a different subject (the charity work of Diana and her sons, the concert, the paparazzi, the funeral etc.). The segments will be incorporated into the daily entertainment news programme "E-Talk". The 30-minute entertainment magazine airs weeknights at 7 p.m. ET (check local listings) and repeats in a late-night 1:35 a.m. ET time slot and at 10 a.m. the following day (check local listings) on CTV.

CTV is also the official Canadian broadcaster of "The Concert for Diana" which shall be broadcast in Canada at 11am ET / 8 am PT on July 1st, 2007.

The confirmed line-up includes the English National Ballet, Sir Elton John, Rod Stewart, Bryan Ferry, Status Quo, Duran Duran, Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, Tom Jones (all representing Diana's era) and Nelly Furtado, Joss Stone, Natasha Bedingfield, James Morrison, Take That, Fergie, Lily Allen, P.Diddy, Pharell Williams, Will Young and others (all representing the choices of Prince William and Prince Harry). I shall be at the concert and will be amongst those commentating on what promises to be a very special occasion.

5 comments:

"Auntie" a.k.a. The Beeb shall be providing full-length coverage of the show and seems to be rather Gung-Ho for it. To quote from the official web page:

Director of BBC Vision Jana Bennett and Director of BBC Audio & Music Jenny Abramsky said: "We're thrilled that Princes William and Harry have decided to work with us - the event will be broadcast live on BBC ONE and Radio 2 - as well as online, and will be a real highlight for the whole of the UK this summer."

Peter Fincham, Controller BBC ONE, added: "This is a key event for the British public this summer, and I am delighted that BBC One has been asked to broadcast it into the nation's living rooms."

Lesley Douglas, Controller Radio 2 commented: "This promises to be not only a brilliant concert but also a really important one. I am delighted that Radio 2 has been given the opportunity to reflect the event across its output.

Dear Mr Heydel-Mankoo,having read your 'postings' on the Sheridan club forum with considerable interest, I am nonetheless somewhat puzzled by your self-description as a 'Young Fogey'. I do not know how old you are, but I 'was around' at the time when the term came into use. I myself was, despite being from the sort of background (extremely anglophile Central European minor aristocracy, sent to public school, Oxford, etc) that would have predestined me for the "Brideshead Revisited Class of 1984" , not a YF back then- I was part of the, in its way, equally elitist and rarified Psychedelic Revival scene that swept the UK and much of the Continent back then. Compared to that obsessive recreation of a paisley-drenched, technicolour 'Swinging London '67' that never was, the YFs seemed dour indeed. However, due to the middle/upper-middle class background shared by the respective people as well as the similarly anachronistic outlook, I knew quite a lot about them and identified to a certain degree with them.To cut a long story short, the very idea of admiring or approving Princess 'Di' and the simpering flattery of Chelsea 'aristocrats' was as far removed from what the YFs stood for as anything. In fact, she, as the figurehead of the infamous 'Sloanies', stood for what the YFs ranted against. As an aside, this continues to amuse me- somehow, twenty years later, the SR and the YF seem to have become conflated, or, in the eyes of certain observers, 'related'- nothing could be further from the truth!So, may I suggest you rename your blog 'Reflections Of A Sloane Ranger With Fogeyish Tendencies'... just joking. The funny thing is, of course, that in the course of time, I have indeed become what can be loosely described as a YF, maybe a bit heavier on the 'vintage' aspect than the 'originals'- I tend to dress most of the time in an Edwardian or maybe rather 'New Edwardian' style- but probably as cantankerous and heavy-handedly conservative as the YFs of the '80s... mind you, I still love obscure British Psychedelia.I'm not too sure whether any of the above makes much sense, but I would like to continue this discussion with you (I fear the SC might be a bit too frivolous a platform for that)

I should perhaps state that I am most definitely not a Sloane Ranger and there is little danger that I would ever be confused for one. As I possess a well-worn copy of the Sloane Ranger Handbook, and as I have encountered many a SR, I am quite aware of the distinction between a SR and a YF.

I would have thought that my position as editor of a scholarly work on orders of chivalry would have been sufficient to demonstrate a decidedly un-Sloanie nature. Similarly, my blog entries on subjects as varied as the Order of Malta, Tony Blair's possible conversion, my last visit to Cambridge, red socks, the Glorious First of June, and the doffing of hats should have afforded some evidence of fogeyish qualities.

However, as proof of my rightful place in fogeydom I am happy to cite my preference for tweed, my interest in church architecture and my love of Betjeman and Parry.

I would like to comment further but would prefer to do so in private. I therefore invite you to contact me via the "e-mail" link on the profile section of this web page (simply click on "View My Complete Profile" in the right hand margin).

I would also invite you to read some of my earliest blog entries (April and May).